How Can Humour/Laughter Help with Cancer and Catastrophic Events in Life?

Can humour and laughter help when one is faced with catastrophic events in life?  Read the following true stories and be the judge yourself.


Catherine Lawrence, a Canadian lawyer turned humorist, also the founder of a company called Survival of the Funniest received a diagnose from her doctor in 2006. It was not good news at all. She was diagnosed with lymphangioleiomyomatosis, also known as LAM.  This is a rare disease affecting women only. The doctor found numerous small cysts formed on her lung tissues. Catherine was told that she only had five to ten years to live.

A Laughter Basket

Catherine could not  believe what the doctor told her as she felt normal; physically, she was feeling fine except for the shortness of breath. However, she was not going to sit there and let this devastating news destroy her.

She decided that laughter was her best medicine.  She created a laughter room in her house stocked with various funny gadgets that could make people laugh. Catherine  also created laughter baskets to send to people trying to cheer them up.

Instead of feeling depressed and defeated, Catherine was proactive. She dedicated herself  to do something about it.  Catherine launched Green Eggs and LAM to do research on the disease that was affecting her health.  She did laugh out shows to raise money for research to find a cure for the disease with which she and many others have been afflicted.  She also invited scientists to talk about LAM.








Though Catherine  needs to carry an oxygen suitcase to help her breathe, she does not waste time dwelling on her own mortality. She takes positive actions and she wants to be a part of finding a cure for the disease. She was given ten years to live but she is past that now.*

Another person whom I have come across and has proved that laughter is the best medicine is my own pastor. Tragedies struck Pastor S. twice in the past decade. First, his dear wife was taken by cancer when their three children were still young. He worked really hard raising the kids who became angry for a long time with God for taking their mother away from them.

But Pastor S. stood strong on his faith and things started to get better with the children as they got older.

Just as he thought he could breathe a sigh of relief, his youngest son, a nineteen years old young man was diagnosed with bone cancer. He would need a match for a bone marrow donor. This was devastating news for a widower who had sweated tears and blood to raise the children alone. How did he manage his high level of stress at this catastrophic times? We asked him at one of our meetings.

" Trusting in God and watching comedies everyday so that I could laugh." Pastor S. replied. He told us that during the darkest period in his life when his family was struck with cancer the second time, he refused to wallow in anger or sadness.






 Instead he would go home every night, turn on the TV and watch the comedy shows for an hour. He would put all his troubles behind him for an hour and just focused on laughing and recharging himself. He wanted to remain healthy and strong for his family.

Finally a bone marrow donor was found and Pastor S.' son had the operation. Things started to look up!

Pastor S.'s son is currently  in remission. Prasie God! He feels well and strong and he wants to get back to work. He is now working and the family can get back to living a normal and healthy life again!

R.T.
Toronto
*Source - CBC National, Feb 1, 2017
Picture & Graphic credits - Google.com